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Freedom of the Lake, Steam Train & Motor Museum

Explore our Lakeland heritage on historic 'steamers', railways and at the motor museum

Warning Image

The ticket has now ended for 2022.

This service operates during our peak season only (Easter - October). It will return in Easter 2023. The information below is for reference only.

Other routes operate all year round. See them here.

This discounted ticket combines a day's worth of boat travel on Windermere with a visit to two top attractions just minutes from Lakeside Pier. It's a great day out for the whole family and combines stunning views from the water, and a fascinating insight into our 'steamer' vessels and our proud rail and road heritage.

You should allow yourself at least 7 hours to make the most of this combined ticket and see all of Windermere.

Your ticket includes:

  • Unlimited travel on board any of our boats for 24 hours including the Red Cruise, Green Cruise, Blue (Islands) Cruise and the Yellow Cruise to Lakeside Pier thats convenient for the Steam Railway and Motor Museum. This ticket is the most economical way of visiting these attractions by boat if travelling from our Ambleside (Waterhead) PIer.
  • A visit to the Lakeland Motor Museum - home to a collection of over 30,000 cars, motorcycles, scooters, cycles and auto memorabilia. Highlights include a Campbell Bluebird exhibition, Vincent motorcycle display and an Isle of Man TT display. There's something for the whole family with a riverside cafe, local heritage and period shopping displays. Find out more on their website. You can visit the museum up to 5 days after your cruise.
  • A return ticket on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Steam Railway offering stunning views of the Leven Valley from its historic carriages. Haverthwaite Station has a visitor's centre, gift shop and playground. Lakeside station is a one minute walk from the pier. Find out more on their website.
  • Please note that the train journey can only be taken on the day that the tickets are redeemed. Only the boat travel is valid for the full 24 hours.

Additional Information

  • This ticket is only available in the summer (Easter - October) when the steam train is operating regularly. A limited service operates at other times of the year, see their website for details.
A full day out to explore the lake and the best of Lakeland heritage.

A full day out to explore the lake and the best of Lakeland heritage.

Enjoy a full day on Windermere and enjoy some great attractions at the south of the lake.

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Additional Information

Service Status

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Service Status

🔴 RED CRUISE Bowness → Brockhole → Ambleside Waterhead → Bowness
✔️ Services OK
🟡 YELLOW CRUISE
Bowness ↔ Lakeside

✔️ Services OK

🔵 ISLANDS CRUISE

Bowness → Windermere Jetty (Museum) → Bowness

✔️ Services OK
🚤 MOTOR BOAT HIRE from Bowness
Bowness Beach / Bowness Dock ↻

✔️ Services OK

🚤 MOTOR BOAT HIRE from WaterheadWaterhead (near Ambleside) ↻

✔️ Services OK

🟤 YELLOW CRUISE & STEAM TRAINHaverthwaite ↔ Lakeside ↔ Bowness✔️ Open for Half-Term
🟢 GREEN CRUISEAmbleside → Wray Castle → Brockhole → Ambleside
❌ Opens on 1 April
🚶 WALKERS TICKETBowness → Brockhole → Wray Castle → Walk ↻
❌ Opens on 1 April
🚣 ROW BOAT HIRE from BownessBowness Beach / Bowness Dock ↻❌ Opens on 1 April
🚣 ROW BOAT HIRE from WaterheadWaterhead (near Ambleside) ↻❌ Opens on 1 April

CROSS LAKES SHUTTLE

Bowness ↔ Ferry House❌ Closed for winter
FELL FOOT FERRYLakeside ↔ Fell Foot
❌ Closed for winter

🕑: We are now running to our winter timetable. More routes and services available after Easter 2023 📄: Download timetable in PDF (1.5Mb)

Route Map

Load Map

Access and facilities

♿ Disabled Access

Four different types of vessels operate our services with varying accessibility.

  • ♿ MV Swift - (marked with a green wheelchair icon on our timetables): our most accessible vessel - step-free access from pier to indoor/outdoor seating & accessible toilet
  • ♿ 'Steamers' MV Swan/Teal - (marked with black wheelchair icon on our timetables) - step-free access from pier to indoor/outdoor seating. Toilets down steep steps.
  • ❌ 'Steamer' Tern & modern launches like Miss Cumbria/Miss Lakeland - are not recommended for customers with limited mobility
  • ❌ Traditional wooden launches like Queen of the Lake - are not recommended for customers with limited mobility

Please visit our Accessibility section for more information.

Wheelchair users are strongly advised to call us to confirm which vessel is operating on which service, particularly in poor weather conditions. As on rare occasions, the vessels operating each route can change.


Annual Pass

Annual Pass

364 days of unlimited boat travel on all of our routes

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